Happy Birthday

My niece, Marissa, turns 20 years old today.  Happy Birthday, sweetie!

I wish I could be there to help you celebrate, but you are in my heart always.

Hurricane Gustav

As Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast just hours from the opening of the Republican National Convention, I want to believe with all my heart that John McCain will not use this as a photo opportunity of massive proportions.

I think public figures can help in numerous ways with respect to natural disasters but showing up with your entourage and expecting the local fire and police to stop the important work they are doing to accommodate you and your press isn’t one of them.

Perhaps I don’t understand exactly how these things work, but I don’t think John McCain, etal, can just fly in on their private jet and drive around asking how they can help.

I’m also appalled by the numbers of “analysts” on television and in print who are suggesting that the Hurricane is actually a good thing for the RNC.  Now that’s pandering of the highest caliber and worthy of a Karl Rove Gold Medal.

You see they believe this is a good thing because 1) neither George Bush nor Dick Cheney will be at the convention, 2) the media won’t be able to compare and contrast the DNC with the RNC, 3) McCain will somehow be able to show the world he’s learned a lesson from Katrina when he celebrated his birthday with Bush by showing how compassionate he is, etc.

The thought that a politician, any politican, would use a natural disaster simply as a way to promote him or herself disgusts me.

Please do whatever you can to help the people being displaced by this depressing news.

Oh My, What Hath John McCain Wrought?

Up front I want to say I disgree with Sarah Palin on many issues including her stances on global warming, drilling in ANWR, a woman’s right to choice, creationism, and probably a few more once we learn more about her. 

I also feel empathy for her and her family and the abuse they will endure in the coming days, weeks, months.  This process will undoubtedly be ugly, personal, and will hit her and her family completely by surprise.  Or that is my suspicion.

There are already stories flying right and left about Palin, some of which will ultimately turn out to be true, others that will not.  By all accounts John McCain and his campaign did not properly vet Palin.  His choice was impetuous and apparently done in a calculating manner to woo certain voters.  He made his campaign slogan, “Country First”, the laughingstock of the country and world.

So today you can read stories and see videos online that catch Palin telling lies and trying to cover them up.  This video on aerial hunting of wolves and bears will make you cry and this is a practice Palin supports.  You can learn that she was for the bridge to nowhere before she was against it.  You can read what Alaskan politicians who know and work with Palin think of her abilities.  You can read that her own mother-in-law isn’t sure who she’ll vote for.  You can listen to her being interviewed by two right wing radio hosts who call Lyda Green, a cancer-surviving, Republican State Senator, a bitch and a cancer on the State of Alaska.  Palin’s response is to laugh and to tell the DJs she’d be honored to have them come to Anchorage Juneau for her State of the State address.  You can read stories about her apparent abuse of power and the talk in Alaska of a possible impeachment.  And most bizarrely, you can read stories and see pictures suggesting she is not the mother of Trig, the Down Syndrome infant, but the grandmother.

So yes, she has some executive experience.  But beyond that we need to dig into that experience.  Was she good at it?  What did she accomplish?  What did she mess up?  Does she get along with coworkers and subordinates?  For me, George W. Bush is the biggest argument out there about executive experience.  He had plenty of it, but guess what?  Everything, everything he touched turned into a disaster.  Look how well that turned out for the US, for Iraq, for the world.

As a comparison, although Obama does not have similar executive experience, I want to point out what kind of job he has done running his campaign.  His campaign is larger now with more resources, but last December, even before the first Iowa caucus, the campaign consisted of 500 employees and a $100 million budget.   He has run a drama-free campaign and was able to beat, what was thought to be, the formidable Clinton machine with all its apparent advantages.  He had the vision, that the Clinton campaign lacked, to campaign hard in caucus states.  He’s mobilized unprecedented numbers of volunteers, effectively used the Internet to raise campaign funds and communicate with the American public.  He was put detailed information about policy issues on his website.  Does no one think this is evidence of Obama’s ability to lead?  He’s shown me what a leader is.  He’s shown how disciplined he is by staying on message.  How unflappable he is when mud and innuendo are thrown at him.  Aren’t these some of the characteristics we want in a President?

I don’t want to compare and contrast Obama with McCain here.  But anyone who says there isn’t a choice in this election, hasn’t been paying attention.

UPDATE:  This post by publius at Obsidian Wings is the best I’ve seen on the talking point that Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Barack Obama.  It’s a must read.  Here’s an excerpt:

For instance, let’s say Apple is deciding whether to hire me or Bill Clinton to be its CEO. And let’s say I was a manager at a Burger King, while Clinton never worked in business. In this respect, I have more “business experience” than Bill Clinton — in a world where arbitrary labels rule, I win. But I’m clearly less capable of running a major transnational corporation than he is. That’s because the nature of Clinton’s experience makes him a better fit — he’s led an executive branch and two presidential elections under extreme scrutiny and has become knowledgeable of, well, everything.

Floating Bed

As I get older I often don’t sleep very well.  Before I retired I thought it was because I had a jerk for a boss and I would spend hours re-running in my head all the stupid things he’d done that day.

Now that I’m retired, I can no longer use that excuse so I’ve come to believe it’s hormonal and I’ll either get over it or learn to live with it.

In the pursuit of the perfect night’s sleep, I came across this very expensive floating bed that is just about the coolest thing for the multi-millionaire in you.

It’s offered by an Amsterdam firm, Universe Architecture, uses magnets, floats about 20″ off the floor and apparently can hold nearly 2,000 lbs. of weight.  No more monsters under the bed, kiddies! 

The price?  Full-size unit: $1.6 million and the smaller one that is 1/5 the size:  a reasonable $153,000.  Sold!

Bumper Sticker of the Day

Think about it!  Available from Bumper Art

Here’s a Reason to Vote For John McCain

I saw this in today’s morning newspaper and thought I would share it.

25.  He programmed digital remotes at the family’s homes in Phoenix and Washington so they can call up DVDs in any room.

That’s it, I’m switching my vote.  Obama wants to lower taxes for people like me making waaay less than $250K a year, he wants to provide affordable health insurance (I have none) for all, he wants to responsibly get us out of Iraq, and he’d protect a woman’s right to choose.

But now that I know for a fact that John McCain can program DVD players, he’s got my vote.

The silly season has begun in full force!

Bumper Sticker of the Day

Live for the moment, it’s the only one you really have.  Available from Bumper Art.

On The Lighter Side

I need a break from the political hoopla, so here are a few imaginative ads.  Hope they make you smile.  You can see more here and here.

VW made from ice

Soccer Anyone?

Cingular Ad

Day After Tomorrow Ad

OK, Maybe One Political Ad

An Alaskan Take on Sarah Palin

So it hasn’t even been one news cycle yet and Sarah Palin is certainly all the talk.  Rush Limbaugh is absolutely beside himself with glee, stating they have a “babe” on their ticket, and Cokie Roberts says Palin will appeal to the base because she’s been a life long NRA member.  A woman interviewed on the national news tonight said she believed Palin was qualified to be VEEP simply because she was the mother of five children.  Absolutely none of these character traits qualifies her to be vice president, let alone president.

Women, especially, need to know she has virtually nothing in common with Hillary Clinton, so unless you vote based on gender alone, McCain/Palin is not your ticket.

Mudflats is a blog situated in Alaska, so you can check for yourself to see what some Alaskans think of her ability to be VP/POTUS.

I think John McCain has failed his first test of judgment to be President in picking this particularly inappropriate woman as a running mate.

Another Big Oil Pick?

Gov. Sarah Palin

The first time I wrote this post I was skeptical about Senator McCain’s choice for Vice President.  Since this post is now linked to a Fox news item, I decided to rewrite it for all you Fox news folks.

Honestly, here’s my take.  Sarah Palin does not have more or equivalent experience to Barack Obama.  For Pete’s sake she was the mayor of a town with fewer than 9,000 people being run by a staff of about 100 people.  The entire state of Alaska has a population of approximately 670,000.  The City of Chicago, on the other hand, is the third largest city in the United States with a population of 3 million.  Yes, I know Obama wasn’t the Mayor of Illinois, but he was in the Illinois State Legislature from 1997-2004 before becoming a U.S. Senator.  Obama is also a constitutional lawyer who taught at the University of Chicago for 12 years and has a law degree from Harvard Law School. 

Sarah Palin is a self-proclaimed hockey mom, with a degree in journalism who once worked as a sports writer.  I have no doubt that Palin is a hard-working mom and all around great person.  BUT THAT DOESN’T QUALIFY HER TO BE VICE PRESIDENT OR PRESIDENT.  Do you people want me to scream that again?

And to all who tried posting comments, no I’m not a socialist, communist, etc.  I’m a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and have ancestors who fought for this country during its formation.

I’m not against Palin because she’s a woman.  There are several qualified Republican women, such as Olympia Snowe, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Elizabeth Dole, etc. who would have been a better choice.  I’m against her being chosen because it shows how pathetic John McCain is and his complete lack of judgment.  I do not want someone of that caliber as POTUS.  McCain made his choice to upstage Obama and in an attempt to appease his right-wing, nut job Christian base. 

I believe a woman, not John McCain or Sarah Palin, should have control over her body.  I believe in the seriousness of global warming, unlike Palin who must say otherwise to keep Big Oil satisfied.  I believe in science and evolution, unlike Palin who thinks evolution and intelligent design (or whatever the latest buzz word is) should be taught side by side in schools.

Fox News brainwashes you idiots into believing whatever crap that throw your way.  Then you start trolling around the internet spewing your b.s.  This country is headed for trouble if Karl Rove, once again, succeeds in convincing you to vote for the person with the lowest grades, least amount of historical knowledge, and the one who will be your BFF.  For pete’s sake who in their right mind would vote for President based on choice in beer or b-b-q?  That’s absurd.  I want a smart, thoughtful, caring person as president, not another clown like George W. Bush, who happens to be an 8th cousin of mine. 

Sheesh.